Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Awesome Jackets and Antique Brooches

I recently acquired a one-of-a-kind jacket in a little boutique in Toronto. I am so pleased, it's my new favourite thing.

I had been searching for a nice jacket to wear to work, and chanced upon this while walking with a friend at the Markham Street sale last weekend. Lucky for me, it fits perfectly. The designer, whose label is called 'if you see cake', had three jackets for sale, each of them with different vintage accessories pinned or sewed to the lapels. The two black things on mine are mink tails (which may gross some people out, but I'm fine with fur as long as it's vintage). The reason this coat particularly grabbed me is this:

It's as if this jacket was made with me in mind! The Montreal pin was just too much. There was no way I could have left the store without this jacket (and there was a small discount for the street sale - come on!). These brooches come off, so if one were to wish to take them off one could, but that seems crazy to me. The mink tails are sewn on because the jeweled rings they're attached to are not pins but seem to be clasps of some kind from a clothing made long ago. There is also a big beautiful brooch on the back:

This brooch also comes off, but I don't know if it ever will. I'm going to wear the jacket tomorrow for the first time. I've been dying to wear it, but it's kind of flashy. I'm ready for it, and it's ready for me.

It has inspired me to wear brooches and pins more often. I have quite a number of them, including a beautiful tiny amber and sterling violin that Drew gave me for christmas last year. I had admired it for months in a vintage jewelry store called Maskarad, in Montreal, but never bought it. When he gave it to me it was such an awesome surprise. I'm almost afraid to wear it because it seems so delicate, but I know that the purpose of having these things is to wear them. It's just so beautiful (photographed beside a teaspoon for comparative purposes):

Thus I have found my new inspiration for Fall (I have been feeling lacklustre about my wardrobe for some time now, despite the many treasures it holds): brooches, and other fascinating accessories. I've been wanting to work on my use of scarves as well, and am making headway in that area so far. Fall is young, so I have time. Stand by, for fashion (I hope) successes.

[Post-script: Oh, pang of longing! Looking up a business link for Maskarad just caused a deep pain in the centre of my chest, where my love of Montreal swells from when I walk the streets and breathe the city in. I used Google Maps, street view, and instantly flooded myself with memories of all the different seasons, walking through Parc Jeanne Mance to get to Avenue du Mont Royal to walk with my friend Elaine, and of the times when Drew and I were living in Mile End, biking through these intersections to get home to our apartments. Oh ache, oh sad, oh miss.]